


A Shot In The Dark

by silenceisscreaming



Category: Life with Derek
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-03
Packaged: 2018-04-29 19:06:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5139167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silenceisscreaming/pseuds/silenceisscreaming
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Casey and Marti go out for ice cream. Derek discovers something new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Shot In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

> This fandom needs more fic. So here I am contributing.
> 
> Disclaimer: If I owned Life With Derek, Dasey would be canon so many times over.

**A Shot In The Dark**

Casey watched as Marti stuck her spoon in her mouth, the amount of ice cream almost too much for her small mouth. Casey had brought the eight year old to Smellie Nellie’s as a way of getting her out of the house. It was a beautiful day and Casey was stuck babysitting while her parents were out of town for the weekend. Derek was at hockey practice and Edwin and Lizzie were at the mall with some friends. 

Casey took a small bite of her sundae as she listened to Marti tell her a story about one of her friends and a stray lizard that, to be completely honest, didn’t make a whole lot of sense. But Casey would never tell Marti that.

Abruptly, Marti dropped her spoon in her bowl and declared she had to go to the bathroom before getting up and heading to the back of the restaurant. Casey pulled out her phone and proceeded to check her email while she waited. She glanced up when the bell above the front door chimed, announcing a new customer, but quickly dismissed the man. He was tall and thin, his mousy brown hair caught under a baseball hat. His leather jacket was similar to Derek’s but he wore beige khaki pants rather than jeans. 

Casey’s attention was caught by a new text message from Emily asking if she wanted to see a movie the following day. Casey was typing out her response when the man in the jacket spoke loudly over the customers talking. 

“Everybody put your hands up and get on the floor,” the man yelled. Casey looked up to find the man had pulled a handgun out of his jacket and was waving it at people who were beginning to panic. 

“Come on! Now! Everybody on the floor. You too, grandpa,” he said to an elderly gentleman. Casey quickly got out of the booth, leaving her phone on the table, and knelt on the ground, praying to anyone who would listen that Marti would stay in the bathroom. Taking a closer look at the man, Casey saw that he wasn’t a man at all. He was just a kid. Eighteen at the most. 

“Nobody move unless I tell you to. You, empty the register,” he said to the hostess at the counter while keeping his gun trained on her. He threw an empty bag at her and she proceeded to fill it with the money from the register. When she was done, he took back the bag and moved to the customers, forcing them to give up their wallets. The kid’s voice was wavering as he spoke, as if he was scared. 

Just then, Casey heard a voice from behind her and her whole body went cold.

“Casey? What are you doing on the floor?” Marti asked after coming out of the bathroom. The man whipped around with his gun raised. Marti gasped and took a step backward. Casey could see the panic in the kid’s eyes and jumped up in front of Marti, pushing the young girl backward.

BANG

Derek pulled his hockey bag higher up on his shoulder as he exited the change room. He ran a hand through his damp hair, forcing it to stick up at every angle. When he got to the lobby, he noticed a group of people staring up at the TV monitor. It was a newscast and Derek stopped to see what had everyone so interested. 

“Police are on scene this afternoon at Smellie Nellie’s after reports of a robbery and gunshots. The offender is in custody …” the reporter was saying but Derek was no longer listening. On the screen was an ambulance outside of the restaurant. Paramedics were leading someone out the front doors. Casey.

Derek’s blood ran cold. Casey was hurt. Casey had been babysitting Marti. Where was Marti?

Derek took off at a run, out the arena doors, across the parking lot, and ultimately slamming into the side of the Prince and yanking the door open. He threw his bag into the back and jumped inside, not giving a thought to his seatbelt. His baby sister could be hurt and nothing else mattered. 

Seven minutes later Derek pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. He barely thought to turn off the car before he was falling out of the door onto the pavement. He slammed the door behind him and ran toward the ambulance. As he approached, two girls stood up to meet him. 

 

Casey stood up as she saw Derek racing toward her and Marti. She took a step toward him but he was already there, running his eyes over her body in a panic before falling to his knees and wrapping his sister up in his arms. Marti clung back, burrowing her face in his neck. After several moments, he finally pulled her back to look her over. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice cracking. 

Marti nodded, “I’m okay, Smerek. Casey saved me. She jumped in front of me.”

Casey blushed as Derek’s gaze fell on her. He slowly stood up and took a step toward her. He stared at her for a moment before pulling her in for a hug as well. She brought her arms up to wrap around him in return as he whispered in her ear.

“Thank you, thank you. You saved her. Thank you,” he sounded hysterical and when Casey pulled back, his eyes were wet with tears. This was the first time she had ever seen him cry and she felt her heart melt. He gripped her arms tightly as he gave her another once over. 

“Ouch, Derek,” Casey said as she pulled away from him and pulled up her sleeve that was stained with blood. Derek’s eyes widened and he took her arm and rotated it gently so he could see the bandage. 

“Are you okay?” he asked while moving his thumb over the bandage.

“Yes,” Casey replied softly. “The bullet only grazed my arm. He was a crappy shot. I’m okay.”

Derek was still staring at her arm, not appearing to be listening. Casey reached up and pulled his face up to look at her. 

“Der, I’m okay. Marti’s okay. We’re fine.” 

At her words, more tears fell down Derek’s face and Marti came closer and wrapped herself around Derek’s waist. 

“It’s okay, Smerek,” she said as she squeezed him. Derek wrapped his arms around both her and Casey, his face falling to rest against the side of Casey’s neck. 

“I was so scared. I saw the newscast and I saw them bringing you outside but I couldn’t see Marti,” Derek rambled, his voice shaking. Casey ran her fingers through his hair while he calmed down. When he had gotten control over himself, he pulled back.

“Let’s go home,” he said and the girls agreed. He led them to the Prince and they all piled in. Uncharacteristically, Derek left the radio off so they drove home in silence. When Derek pulled into the driveway, Casey spoke up.

“I called Mom and George. They know we’re okay but they’re coming home early even though I told them not to. So they’ll be home tonight. Edwin and Lizzie are probably on their way home from the mall.”

Derek nodded and got out of the car, grabbing his hockey bag from the back. He didn’t say anything as he unlocked the front door and headed inside. Casey and Marti followed. Derek dropped his bag by the coatrack and dropped into his armchair and closed his eyes. Marti took her shoes off and then crawled into Derek’s lap. He wrapped her in his arms and held her against his chest. Casey looked on from the door. 

“You scared me today, Smarti. Don’t ever do that again, okay?” Derek said looking down at Marti. 

“I won’t, Smerek.”

“I love you, Smarts,” he said as he kissed her on the forehead. 

“I love you too, Smerek,” Marti replied. Derek turned his attention to Casey, still standing by the door. His eyes were full of gratitude and thanks. Casey nodded before heading upstairs to her room. 

She pulled her diary out from its hiding spot on the underside of her side table drawer and sat down in her desk chair to write. She wrote down all the details of what had happened that day, including Derek’s reaction and his words.

Derek and Marti didn’t move all afternoon, choosing to remain in the chair watching whatever they could find on TV. Casey brought them dinner, allowing Edwin and Lizzie to eat in front of the TV as well. They had come home a few hours earlier and Casey had told them the whole story. They were scared and gave both Casey and Marti hugs. After dinner, they disappeared into the attic and Casey cleaned up the kitchen. When she was done, she sat down on the couch closest to Derek and Marti and watched TV with them for a while. 

Eventually, Derek turned off the TV. With Marti still in his arms but now fast asleep, he stood up and carried her up the stairs. Casey followed them as Derek headed for Marti’s room. She didn’t comment about making sure Marti brushed her teeth like she normally would have. She felt it could be skipped just this once. Derek laid her down on her bed and lay down beside her as she stirred slightly. She turned and nuzzled herself into Derek’s chest. Derek smiled softly before looking up and noticing Casey standing in the doorway. He smiled again, giving her a small nod. She smiled back before heading for the bathroom to get ready for bed. She would stay up until her parents got home but she could get ready now.

After talking to her parents when they arrived home and assuring them again that she was fine, Casey headed up to her room. Maybe she would read for a bit before bed. Edwin and Lizzie were already in bed but probably not asleep. She hadn’t seen Derek leave Marti’s room but her parents had just gone in there to see Marti. Casey had just settled into bed with her book when her door opened softly and Derek came in. He sat on the edge of her bed without saying anything for several minutes.

Then Casey reached out her hand and rested it on his arm and that caused Derek to turn completely and fall into Casey’s lap. Surprised, she let her hand fall into Derek’s hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She hadn’t realized how affected he had been. Sure, he was worried about Marti but apparently he was worried about her as well.

“I’m okay, Der. So is Marti. Just relax,” Casey tried to soothe. Derek slowly sat up and took her hand in his.

“I don’t know why I’m so freaked out. Sorry,” Derek said in a whisper. 

“Your little sister was almost shot,” Derek flinched at this. “Of course you’re freaked out.”

“It’s more than that. Sure, Marti almost got hurt but you did get hurt. I was scared for you, too,” Derek said looking her right in the eyes. “I guess I care about you more than I thought I did.”

Casey smiled at that, “Wow, who knew The Derek Venturi would ever admit to caring about someone other than his Smarti?”

Derek chuckled, “You tell anyone and you’re dead.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” she replied and he squeezed her hand.

“What about this secret?” he whispered before leaning forward and kissing her softly. It was soft and chaste and he was pulling back before Casey could even think. He stared at her, completely vulnerable, waiting for her to do something, to say something. 

“Yeah,” she said finally, her voice barely audible. “That secret is safe too.”

Derek smiled and leaned forward to kiss her again. She kissed him back this time, her hands going around his neck as his found her hair. He teased her mouth open with his tongue and mapped out her mouth. She moaned softly as his hand moved down and squeezed her side. He eased off, giving her room to breathe, peppering kisses down her neck and then on her face. He kissed her once on the forehead and once more on the lips before moving back. Casey followed, trying to prolong the moment.

“No need to rush,” he said to her confused look. “Casey, I’m not in this for sex. You know that, right?”

Casey hesitantly nodded.

“I know. At least, I hope that’s true. Because I can’t give you that, Derek.”

“I know, Princess. And I won’t ask you to. I’m willing to wait. For as long as it takes. Forever if I have to.”

“Forever is an awfully long time, Der,” Casey said, smiling shyly.

“I know. But I also know that together, we’re better. We challenge each other to be more than what we are. We create passion when we fight. And now I know how terrified I am to lose you. I can’t do it, Case,” Derek said, his eyes sad. 

“I think that’s the most open you’ve ever been with me,” Casey commented. “I appreciate that. I can’t lose you either. You keep me sane. You stop me from overloading when I’m stressed. And you’re right. We’re better together.”

“Go out with me tomorrow,” Derek suggested. “We’ll go to the park and have a picnic, watch the clouds. We could go see a movie later if you want.”

“I’m supposed to hang out with Emily tomorrow,” Casey said sadly.

“So tell her something came up,” Derek said with a smirk. 

“Or someone,” Casey replied with a laugh. Derek’s smile slowly faded as he took Casey’s hand.

“Tell me what happened. All of it.”

And she did. And he held onto her hand even after she had finished. Even after she had moved to other topics. And he was still there when Marti ran into Casey’s room to announce that breakfast was ready. He was fast asleep with his arms wrapped around Casey and Casey had a small smile on her face. Marti backed up quietly and shut the door, leaving them to their moment of peace.


End file.
